Govt seeks to fill in the blanks; 90% of ‘white spaces’ to be given broadband by 2015

According to Romanian news agency ACT Media, communications minister Valerian Vreme has announced that 90% of the areas that are currently unconnected to the internet will be covered within four years. According to Vreme, Romania currently has over 3,600 so-called ‘white spaces’, which are best defined as isolated areas not yet covered by available access types. Vreme commented: ‘The ‘Digital Agenda’ is shaping up. I can tell you that we are not alone in the process, but it depends on how we advertise the [scheme] and how we get people involved. Romania is ranked seventh in the world in terms of ‘technologies of the future’. At the same time, it is ranked 16th in terms of broadband [take-up]. Over the past year, the number of broadband internet connections advanced 6%, but that is not enough. Covering 90% of the over-3,600 blank areas will be achieved by 2015’.